BANGKOK: As floodwaters recede and Hatyai enters the recovery phase on December 2, residents have begun cleaning their homes and piling flood-damaged belongings along streets across the municipality.
Many waterlogged items have now rotted, producing strong foul odours across the city, especially around fresh markets and shops selling chilled meat, where spoiled produce has begun to smell heavily. Some areas still lack water for cleaning.
More than 100 garbage trucks were deployed to remove rubbish from communities, aiming to reopen roads and ease the suffering of residents. However, the waste backlog is so large that many estimate the clean-up could take over seven days.
Trucks from the Provincial Administrative Organisation (PAO), the Royal Irrigation Department, and the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM) have transported flood-damaged waste to a temporary dumping site at the Saphan Dam Intersection on Phetkasem
The waste includes destroyed household belongings such as wooden furniture, plastic debris, mattresses, clothing, electronic equipment, and goods from local businesses — including vendors at Kim Yong Market and other markets throughout Hatyai Municipality.
Once brought to temporary holding areas, excavators load the rubbish into six-wheel lorries belonging to the Songkhla PAO, which then transport it to Ko Taeo in Mueang District for disposal, including processing at the waste-to-energy facility.
Under standard procedure, waste should be separated into three categories:
General waste/ debris — furniture, mattresses, pillows and contaminated building materials
Hazardous waste — household chemicals (e.g., bathroom cleaners, paints), batteries and electronics
Recyclables — materials that can be reused
However, due to the sheer volume of waste throughout Hatyai, proper separation has not yet been possible.
Hatyai Municipality expects it will take at least one week to clear all rubbish from communities. The Ko Taeo landfill, located 30 km from Hatyai, can accommodate the influx and process waste for electricity generation at the waste-to-energy plant.
The Emergency Health Network of the Department of Health warned that the biggest concern is public hygiene, as foul smells spread through nearby communities. Disinfection and deodorisation measures have been carried out at temporary waste sites.
Health officials explained that prolonged accumulation of waste produces not only strong odours but also hydrogen sulphide gas (rotten-egg gas), causing discomfort for residents and motorists.
To mitigate this, officials are using microbial solutions and regularly spraying water to accelerate decomposition and reduce odours. - The Nation/ANN
